The Wheaton College land, off the Arrowhead Road about 10 miles north of Hovland, has been categorized as non-taxable 2b-Rural Vacant Land, but Assessor Mary Black is consulting with the Minnesota Department of Revenue on whether this is the proper classification. She has also asked the college to explain why it believes it should be tax-exempt.
If the property had been considered taxable, the county would have received $2,454 in taxes this year. If it were U.S. Forest Service land, federal payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILT) would have been $10.59 – 33 cents an acre.
Black told the county board on Tuesday, October 25, 2010 that her department is reviewing the status of all tax-exempt parcels as it assesses its way through one-fifth of Cook County private land each year.
The board asked Black to draft a letter explaining to the Forest Service the advantage the county would have if the Wheaton College land were taxable instead of being in Forest Service hands. They will review it at the next county board meeting.
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